Requiem - Michael Jan Friedman [15]
Accelerating his pace, the captain noted how his previously pleasant surroundings suddenly seemed quite alien. His instincts were strongly suggesting that he get his people back to the Enterprise.
As Picard passed the tunnel that led to the control center, he bent to get an idea of how well the engineers were coming along. La Forge stopped, too.
“Need any help?” the younger man called.
Inside the tunnel, Varley and O’Connor were crawling out of the control center, pulling their equipment after them. Barclay wasn’t far behind.
“No, sir,” reported Varley. “We’re fine. This’ll just take another minute, Commander.”
Suddenly, another surge channeled through the station. With it came a resounding crash, and Picard watched as a heavy door slammed down between him and the three engineers.
“Damn!” exclaimed La Forge.
As the door hit the deck, the captain’s hand was reaching for his communicator. “Commander Riker,” Picard said.
“Riker here, Captain. We just read another surge. This one was off the scales for a moment. Are you in any danger?”
Picard exchanged looks with his chief engineer. “So far we’re uninjured, but Geordi and I have been separated from the rest of the engineering team. Have the transporter beam all of us over now.”
“Yes, sir,” came Riker’s crisp reply. “We’ll have you … one moment sir.” The captain could hear his exec speaking to Data in the background. “Sir,” Riker continued, “we’ve got a problem maintaining a transporter lock… .”
Suddenly, another surge coursed through the station. For a moment the interior lights flashed on. Picard and Geordi were bathed in a harsh, white light as the visible burst of energy raced through the walls.
For a second or two, Riker’s voice was replaced by static. Then it returned. “… suggests that the area you are in may be shielded. Can you all move to one of the outer chambers by a window?”
“I’ll call you when we’re there. Picard out.” The captain saw that Geordi had his tricorder out and was already working on the door.
After a moment, the engineer shook his head. “The mechanism is simple,” he remarked, eyeing the small control panel next to the door. “But there’s no power. If we hold the control and wait for another surge, we might …”
Picard waved the suggestion away. “Too long. We don’t know when or if another surge will happen, or if there will be enough power when it does. What about phasers?”
Geordi drew his phaser at the same moment the captain did. “I suggest we stand back, sir.”
They took a position a few steps back.
“Setting five, to start,” ordered Picard, as he adjusted his weapon. Geordi did the same. Then the captain tapped his communicator. “Mr. Barclay, lead your team as far away from the door as possible. We’re going to try to get you out with phasers.”
“Yes, sir,” came the reply. “We’re clear, sir.”
On Picard’s nod, the two men fired simultaneously. The captain watched as the two red beams leapt from the phasers, struck the door … and disappeared.
Geordi’s tricorder was immediately in his other hand. He scanned it quickly. “The wall just absorbed and dissipated the beams, Captain. We can try force ten, but I wouldn’t go any higher in here.”
A moment later, they tried again at the higher setting. Two brighter beams struck the door and also disappeared into its surface. This time, he and Geordi maintained their fire for several seconds. Finally, on Picard’s signal, they ceased firing. Except for a brief glow of red that disappeared almost immediately, the door was undamaged.
The engineer frowned. “Somehow, the structure is dissipating the energy throughout the wall—actually, throughout this entire area. Even if we could get through, it would take a while.”
“Are there any other exits out of that room?” Picard asked.
“There’s another access tunnel,” La Forge replied, “on the far side of the control room. It cuts into the corridor maybe a hundred meters farther down—though there may be a door blocking off that way, too.”
The captain frowned.